South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-05-13
YAM"

neighborhood subjects. As they stood
on their old-fasliioncd Dutch stoops in
crowded Gotham, and watched her rs
she danoef here and the<e ike sun
beam, the merricst OF her crowd of old
fashioned little playmates, they said she
was tomboy. A wee girl of nine,
brighter than girls usually arc at that
age, with the Unborn fun-loving nature
seen in every action Of her 1.-the, grace
iul form; in the mischicvous snap of her
large blue eyes; in the t,s ing of her
suA-glinted, brown locks; and soul in
her rollicking lisht-hearted laugh. She
had, in an evil hour, been named Mary
Ann, after staid old spinstcr aunt,
whom none but her grandmother seemed
to distinctly rccollcct. No one liked
the name, and, rcsenting the ancient
danes want of taste in the selection of n
suitable name for a pretty, modern
child, they dubbed her Molly or May in
vain attempt to give the name some
a'tractivcncss; but the grandmother.
tacitly feared by all, insisted upon the
adoption of the entire name, unch pcd.
But who would have thought of apply
ing the dignity OF such name to a girl
who climbed trees, lcaped over fences,
played marbles, and skated here and
there with the boysl And so, by de-
grces, the name fell into disusc, and was
gradually corrupted until she was known
everywhere as Yam"
A % nboy, tue ncighbors said, as they
uplificd AIDS and eyes in righteous
horror at each new prank and fresh new
freak OF this winsomc little fairy. No.
not tomboy. Only child, with all
the spriShtliness of youth, enjoying
Gods sunshine in freedom, before the
darker days come to shacklc her with
sorrow and care, and shut out the sun
light with clouds of adversely. As she
grew older, her womanly qua'ities de-
ve'oTcd. Who was rs neat and oIick
as "fan' Who else could con lure up
such interesting pastimcsl Who else
was rs handy with needle? Who so
gentle and kindly nursc2 Not even
the mother, who, aged beyond her years
to stern and unbendiny for mother
grew away from her children from their
birth. The children took naturally to
YAM" until the cnt::c care of baby
brothers and sisters dcvolved upon her,
and her marvellous housewifcly accom-
pllshmcnts, so rare in these days, were
the talk of the neighborhood She was
stu tomboyto the neighbors, for, when
household cares were ended, she was
the gnycst of the youthful circle; tire.
less graceful dar Ger of the "E MGR
aida" Varsouvicnne, and Others
OF those old dances of
the days gone by; her laugh the MGR
riest, her song the w.etest. Then tho
war came. Down there in the wilds Of
Virginia, on the battlefield of Pennsyl-
'a1ia and Maryland, many bluc-coated
hero blessed the brown-haircd little
tomboy in the great northern metropolis.
She was the busiest worker in the sew
| ing circle; an upon thrusting his grimv
hand into stocking sent in one of those
wonderful boxes packed and sent by the
northern girls, many a boy in blue
found the joliet little letter from
yam" encouraging him. and nervinp
him on TO the struggle for honor. glory.
and right. Aud at night, hot tears
from battlc-straincd eyes cleaned in the
rcd-light Of the bivouac, as they fell upon
the trocery of "Yan'S" magic pen.
BY an | by soldier-boy came home
and claimed cyan" as his own forever.
When, on tho eve of their partint, IN,
had kissed him good-by, and tie knot,
! Of bright hair-ribbon to his smooth
drum-stick', she Whispered a promise
which sh intcnde TO keep, and wien
| lie came gave herself TO HIM in simple
/ trustiulne 8. She might have done bet
1 ter, they said. lie was wild and I'M
steady, loved on occasional dram, and
'ack.d sclf-,ontrol, but YAM was true.
faithful through all-scpuratioD, intcn-
/ porance, and iIl-usagc. They cruelty
/ told her that Ter bfbj boy was his
fathers son in all resp cts and traits Of
/ character. That he would inherit his
tastes n depravity, and for his fathers
/ sake { ny dis itcl him and were cold
with the / noccnt child. Helpless. Iy.
NJ in is cradle, with Lis big, wonder.
ing blue eyes turned upon a world tat
seemed 20 hcgrudgc him the
ar nc brcathcd, lie was visited
with The sns Of bis fihcr /;
but proud, faithful, and loving. she
threw up her shield Of motherhood. and
. protected him from tho Bullets Of
the word. a true vile and mother
through ala strange future for a tom.
boy. Year by year sorrows came death,
] disappointment, oil the anguish OF a
lifetime. The brown trcsscs were BE-
! ginning 10 thread with gray. her eyes
soitcncd, and grew sad, her laugh and
her song departed. But in her sweet